


First things first

by Anonymous



Category: DCU, Joker (2019)
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Light Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 02:09:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21028538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Arthur and Sophie shared more than a passionate kiss. This is the aftermath.





	First things first

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for this couple and I'm still trying to bend their characterizations right. Hope you enjoy the fluff.

She’s right beside him when he wakes up. But that doesn’t stop his stomach from turning into a tangle of yarns. Surely, he has exceeded his stay. Arthur has no idea. Last and only time he got this close to another human being was in a cheap hotel room and the prostitute who took his virginity teased him mercilessly about the flowers he bought back then.

“You’re thinking too loud”, Sophie whines, breaking him from spiraling into self-loathing and panic.

“Do I ?”, he tries, then clears his throat because his voice sounds awfully high in the mornings. Sophie snuggles closer. His arm feels practically numb with the weight of her head but the burden is wholly welcome. He’s never seen her with her hair down before. He thinks it’s the closest he’ll ever come to see an angel.

“Yep. Cease and desist immediately. You’re giving me a headache”

The order is soothed by a smile. Not one of her enigmatic, Mona Lisa ones when she thinks he’s being particularly amusing. A genuine smile. That gives him pause. He knows she’s assertive, unabashedly fierce and bosses him around without a single thought. So when pictures of the previous night come to mind, when Arthur almost gets assailed by the memory of the salty sweet taste of her skin and the way she melted into his arms, he has to suck in a sharp breath. 

Last night, he has discovered a new facet to her personality. But he doesn’t know what to do with it now.

“Yes ma’am”, he gruffs, turning his head to the door so Sophie cannot see his flaming cheeks.

She grunts in annoyance while he breaks out of her reach and hoists himself up, carving his hands in his hair to ground himself. He can’t help but take a closer look at Sophie once the feeling of hungover is put under control. Her lips seem a little swollen. There’s smudged painting on her neck and at the base of her breasts. A mess of white and red. Then comes earlier pictures. The subway. White-collar guys. He swallows with difficulty. No. It can only be a fever induced dream. Cannot be real. Because if it were, Arthur wouldn’t know where to put the feeling of having done an extremely satisfying deed. Because some people should be killed. And maybe, that’s why there are people like him out there. Maybe his mom is right about him having a purpose but wrong about what it exactly entails.

Sophie snorts at his inspection, unaware of his musing, and then rolls onto her back, arms rising above her head for a stretch. Arthur watches, entranced, as her chest heaves to the rhythm of her gentle breathing, so unlike the jerky panting she graced him with when he had her against the wall. He soaks in the warmth of her vision. She’s really right there, close and full of life, enchanting enough to make him post-pone life changing realizations.

“You good ?”, she asks, mimicking him by resting her back against the head of bed.

“Yeah, I…I’m good. Better than that.”

She hums before dampening her lips. Arthur finds himself following the pink piece of flesh like an idiot. She leans closer to have a look at the clock and gives a long suffering sigh.

After kicking the covers away from her naked body, she springs out of bed and her supple legs land on the shag carpet. Arthur follows her movements awkwardly, unsure of neither what to do nor where to fit into her routine. He catches her mumbling about pancakes and scrambled eggs in front of her armoire. His mind goes to worn wallpaper while she dresses, as to avoid blood rushing south at her nudity.

Surely she’s asked him something because now, she’s giving him a dead eyed stare, resting her fists against her hips after closing her robe.

“Wh-what ?”, he mumbles.

“How do you like your eggs ? Unless you wanna share some low nutrition waffelos with Gigi ?”

“So that means I can stay ?”, he almost croaks.

Sophie arches a quizzical brow.

“_Arthur_…Are you sure you’re alright ?”

He nods, chest swelling to the brim at the news. _He can stay_. Sophie doesn’t want him out yet. He bows his neck to hide his damp eyes but Sophie draws close until her knees touch the bed. She tucks his chin in between her fingers, gently forcing him to look her in the eyes.

“Are you overwhelmed ? If it’s too much, tell me”, she says, as honeyed as she can be.

Arthur shakes his head, swallows down the lump in his throat.

“I’m alright. I guess I’m just…_happy…_”

He says the last word as if he were talking about a medical condition. Sophie doesn’t tease about it. She nods and he inhales the warm wafts of her scent when she pecks him on the lips then his forehead. A thrill cuts across his body at her closeness and without thinking, he pulls her in, hugs her waist and rests his head against her stomach.

* * *

Sophie withholds his access to the kitchen. She shuts the door after herself, grabbing his elbow to pull him away from it and Arthur’s heart nearly stops, for fear she has just changed her mind. In the small hallway, which is all dim light and chipped painting, he catches the drool worthy smell of warm pancakes and butter.

She looks a tad nervous somehow, crossing her arms over her chest then rubbing her neck while averting her gaze. His own wander to dark mold peppering the juncture between two walls.

“Okay, before we do any kind of walk of shame in front of my daughter, I need you to know a few things.”

Arthur nods silently, hand rising to knead the back of his neck. He wills himself to stay still instead of dancing from one foot to another.

“Just so we’re clear, I don’t do this sort of stuff.”

He blinks once, twice then opens his mouth in a silent gasp. He doesn’t know how to tell her to elaborate without looking like an idiot. Dating and romance, he’s been so isolated from that world he doesn’t know the basic rules of it. Not that he ever learned anyway.

But Sophie is here now. Arthur cannot think of a better teacher.

When she notices his lack of reaction, she purses her lips.

“There’s not much time for dating as single mom and I swore I wouldn’t bring anyone in this apartment before. Kids get attached easily, you know ?”, she trails.

Arthur still doesn’t reply. Her body goes rigid. He remembers that when this happens to him, she’s the one to come forth and offer a comforting touch. His gaze wanders over her body, looking for the appropriate place to lay a hand on. In the end, Arthur brings his hand near hers but he trembles so much the only thing he grabs is her pinky finger.

He winces, waiting for Sophie’s impending booming laugh because she can be a merciless tease.

“Sorry”, he mumbles.

Instead of taunting him, Sophie hooks her finger around his with a soft sigh.

“I haven’t felt a man’s touch for a long time. And in all honesty, you look very different from the men I’ve known.”

She looks at him from behind her lashes, looking almost shy. Arthur’s heart hammers against his ribcage.

“A good different ?”, he tries.

Sophie nods.

“Yeah. A good different.”

And as if the confession is too much to handle for her, she releases him to cross her arms and lean against the wall.

“Last chance to back out”, she tosses, looking him up and down with an appreciative gaze before lifting her chin defiantly.

Arthur grins. Nothing has changed about him physically. He’s just freshened up, took away the rest of smudged make up from his face and endorsed the comfortable grey pants and white tank top she had handed to him after his bathroom break. His lanky limbs are always there. His hair is just shy of greasy. But he smells like her orchids bar soap now and he feels _wanted_.

“I’m not backing out”, he says with a nervous smile.

“Alright.”

“And I’m really hungry so please, _let me in_…?”

Her brows raise high at his feeble attempt for a joke but Arthur gets rewarded by a glorious, almost guttural chuckle. He finds the need to taste her neck some more at the way it lengthens when she tips her head backwards. Maybe it will happen later, if she allows him.

He thrusts his chest out to appear more confident than he is and she nudges his elbow, snorting before she half opens the kitchen’s door. She lowers her voice then.

“If Gigi asks you to come to her school’s talent show_, run for your life_.”

Arthur chuckles nervously. Is it that she doesn’t want them to be seen together ? Is today the only occasion he’ll get to interact with her daughter ? Will Sophie hide him away from her entourage then ? He doesn’t wanna watch them from the sidelines. Not anymore. He wants to fit into their life so bad.

“Why ? Is it that terrible ?”

“Imagine spending two hours in a crowded, badly conditioned gym while your ears get assaulted by off key singing and endless solo clarinets. Doesn’t it sound like artistic terrorism ?”, she rants before bringing two eloquent fingers to her temple.

* * *

Arthur wants to find a way to perpetuate the moment when he’s seated at their table and listening to Sophie’s daughter’s happy babbling about sweet nothings. Gigi is surprisingly accommodating with him. As if taking her breakfast with a neighbor is completely normal. _As if Arthur were a friend_.

Apart from that, she’s a bright child and she loves to imitate people. It seems she’s very serious about the impersonation number she will present to the rest of her class come the end of December. 

“You can come at my talent show if you want to”, Gigi offers with her sing song voice, kicking her feet back and forth while giving him a toothy smile.

Arthur’s throat tightens in spite of himself. These Dumond girls, they’re dangerous. He doesn’t feel like an odd one out when they’re in close vicinity. He registers the running water and the clanking of the dishes then, as Sophie starts washing them, angling her body sideways to keep up watching them.

“I don’t know”, he trails, looking away. That’s when it comes. The cruel reminder of his condition. Mirthless laughter bubbles up in his belly.

“It’s gonna be fun !”, Gigi insists, leaning forward on her elbows.

Arthur smacks a hand over his mouth then, shoulders shaking with a humor he doesn’t condone. Gigi purses her lips and stares, adorably confused, hands curling into little fists. He can tell she’s a little hurt.

He coughs repeatedly, and his body seems to calm down when a warm hand caresses his back. Still, he tries to contain his heavy breathing, body stiffening with shame.

“_Is that a no_ ?”, the kid asks her mother with furrowed brows.

Sophie shakes her head.

“Arthur is feeling a little sick now. Go brush your teeth and he’ll give his answer when you’re done, ‘kay ?”

Gigi stares back and forth between the two of them with suspicion but ends up shrugging and leaping out of her chair.

Once her daughter is gone, and the waves of laughter have dissipated, Sophie hands him another glass of water.

Arthur inhales sharply, clearing his throat to make sure he can talk properly.

“Sorry…”

Sophie offers a comforting smile.

“No need to be.”

“But she must feel like I rejected her.”

“Well, luckily for us, six year olds aren’t spiteful. And she doesn’t know about your condition yet. That’s all.”

“I can do it.”

She tilts her head in confusion, sending her supple curls bouncing against her cheeks.

“Do what ?”

“The explaining. She can hear it from me”, he offers.

“You sure you wanna do it ? I’m still on her nice list today while you’re on thin ice.”

Arthur takes another sip of water then puts the glass down, looking past his shoulder at the hallway. He knows what it’s like to feel rejected. Too much.

“Yeah. Don’t know where the hell I put my card but I’ll do my best.”

Sophie gives him a strange look then. Arthur falters before rising to his full height.

“I can handle it. You know I work with kids.”

Her eyes linger on his lips then back to his whole face. Arthur stops denying himself and leans forward, awkwardly bumping their noses together before tilting his head and kissing her as soundly as he can manage. And if he feels Sophie grinning against his lips, he really doesn’t mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for giving the story a go and leave a comment if you enjoyed it pals <3  



End file.
